I shouldn’t be embarrassed about being a beauty blogger, so why am I made to feel this way?

It’s a disturbance that has been bubbling under the surface for years, and is now bubbling over. It is a disenchantment with how information is getting out, and being received, and is a direct result of the rise in use of social media, in particular, Instagram.

There is a rising disenchantment among users of Instagram who bond within the beauty community, that there is a growing lack of transparency, honesty, information and sharing. There is an element of greed, and self-entitlement among many who strive to be noticed and be rewarded by the beauty brands, and this sits ill with those who truly have an interest in the genre.

Speaking from the viewpoint of a blogger (I have too small a following on Instagram to merit any standing, but at least I know it’s not padded) I’ve seen this same thing happen in the blogging community a little while ago. The difference now, is that anyone with a blog, or who has an instagram account, suddenly gets tarred with the same brush.

All bloggers and influencers are liars and sell-outs – the rabble cries, and shake their pitchforks in the light of torches. Sigh.

I, Beauty Blogger

I read often of people proclaiming “I don’t trust bloggers, Youtubers or Instagrammers. They are all greedy and only in it for free stuff” and that generalization kind of hurts when you see it. “Not me!” I want to cry. But it then comes across as self-pity, so I just shut up.

I am a blogger, and I refuse to call myself anything but a blogger. I am not a “content creator” (what the hell does that mean anyway? EVERYONE creates content the minute you publish anything online!) nor am I an “influencer”. If you are influenced by me, it’s really on you. I’m not going to take credit nor blame for it, nor am I about to tell people that I’m in the business of influencing people to buy or do things. Truthfully, that isn’t right, nor is it honest.

I should not be out there, trying to influence you in any way, unless I am a paid ambassador for a brand, and 100% committed to them. Also, I dislike that term because it brings to mind a pen of sheep. An “influencer” is like the lead sheep that leads the lambs to the slaughter. Sheep are simple creatures. They usually follow where the leader leads them, and this is how farmers get their sheep into the slaughter-house. Unfortunately, social media and the culture of celebrity worship has turned us all into sheep. You can be the lead sheep, or you can be led. We’ve stopped being encouraged to think, only to follow. But that is my rant for another day.

And this brings me to why it makes me sad that the term “blogger” almost seems like a derogatory term today. Like I should be embarrassed to call myself a “Beauty Blogger”, made to skulk around the shadows and edges of the bright shiny “influencer” people. Sigh. I’m not embarrassed, lest you wonder. But I am MADE to feel that way.

Most bloggers out there, who are most visible, being feted by international brands at fancy vacations, product launches or press trips are high-flying and do this gig full time as a source of income. Many of us cannot do what they do, nor are we willing to do what they do, in order be where they are. Yet, this really is also about how brands approach things, with the bloggers or “content creators” as their conduit.

The problem with the industry is not the platform. The problem stems from human greed, laziness and dishonesty.

Greed is the root of the problem

As a blogger, I’ve seen this happen before, and we never recovered our reputation. We only got shoved to the back of the cupboard on the pretext that “No one reads anymore, you are obsolete” This is something I refuse to believe, but it is what I’m told. People have told me, “Why don’t you just focus on your Instagram and leave your blog? No one reads. Maybe you should find a way to increase your follower count so more brands can see you”. And I sit there bug-eyed at their audacity.

Do I tell people to kill one child so they can focus all their attention on the other and propel them to fame? If you won’t, then don’t tell me to kill my blog. Ridiculous.

Rogue bloggers have been gaming the system for years. Fake content, dishonesty – we’ve seen it all before. They take beautiful photos (or pay people to), they are beautiful to start with, and they attract a following. What you often get are product features from these bloggers. Not a review. Sometimes, I’ve seen press releases blatantly copied, but with the blogger’s own photos, to give the impression of authenticity. This has now spilled over onto other forms of social media. I’ve learnt that instagram photos are contracted out to professionals, and so are captions. Ghostwriting an instagram caption is now a source of income. Wanna hire me? 😛

Because these people are so popular, or approach so many brands to sell themselves, they need to feature many products in a short time. (Often, we also hear of people who sell the press samples they receive or ask for – product they tell their viewers they have tried but never have) Unfortunately, this leads to very short content, often extracted in large chunks from the press release, with little to no critique or opinion. Sometimes, they’ve never even tried the product, yet rave about it. And that’s where the disenchantment creeps in as a reader, and which leads to the push-back against bloggers and online “influencers” – the lack of critique which I bemoaned before this. Blogging started out as a way to share your opinions online on your own platform. Today, it’s little more than a press release on some blogs, or a way to amass a boatload of free product. If I wanted a press release, I’d just read the damn press release.

It’s all very well to have beautiful photographs on your blog, or to take beautiful flatlay photos for Instagram. Every product in its place, every product pristine. A visual feast for the eyes, but like cotton candy, it isn’t real food. The captions of the photo tell you nothing, barring an insipid quote, or cooing over how pretty everything looks. The blog post has 10 beautifully taken photographs of the product or the blogger, with 2 paragraphs of content, with no opinion. If it was a product given to them, it’s often a rave. Photos never show a used product, because that is not aesthetically pleasing. It is like being served 3 leaves of a cold salad on a fancy plate, when all you want is a juicy sizzling steak and fries.

I’m not saying it’s a bad thing to have beautiful photos or to love a product. Instagram is all about beautiful photos. But I do expect an enthusiast to, I don’t know… spend money and be discerning about they love? Perhaps that’s naive of me to think so. Perhaps, when you are feted with so many products, you never feel the need to buy more or to question quality. Perhaps.

This bugs me because the product they receive for free, they “influence” their followers or fans to buy. It involves people having to spend hard-earned money. A mention about quality at minimum, would be appreciated, for we know worth is an individual consideration.

Be fair, PR products aren’t a bad thing

At the same time, I often also feel that readers or followers place slightly unfair restrictions on bloggers or instagrammers. I now see this statement a lot – “There are too many PR products around, I won’t follow an account or trust them unless they buy their own products”.

Well, that’s fair. Yet, how about looking at the flip-side. If PR or marketing do not seed out new products, how many people can afford to spend all their money on beauty products, just for purposes of looking “honest” or “for the blog”? Most people are putting out content for free. You don’t have to pay to read a blog nor to follow an Instagram account. As a follower, we want pure authenticity, but we want it free. There has to be balance.

The struggle here isn’t about free product. It is about taking that free product, trying it, and then sharing your OPINION on the product, both good and bad AFTER TRYING IT FOR A REASONABLE LENGTH OF TIME. Unless it’s makeup, a reasonable length of time isn’t a week, or even a few days. It’s 3 weeks to a month (To clarify, I am realistic to know that some products like cleansers or hydrating toners or even some masks may show results quickly and allow a person to form an opinion in less than 3 weeks. My beef is really with the review of treatment products or serums, masks and creams. Sometimes we won’t know if we react to a product till a few weeks later, even if it gives us a good impression at the beginning. Hence my blanket generalization of 3-4 weeks.). First impressions on skincare serve no purpose in my view except to let people out there know the product is available to purchase.

You can love it. I love lots of stuff. Perhaps you think me a sell-out too. That’s your prerogative. But I am confident in what I do, and how I do it. And that is the only way I’ve managed to stay sane in this crazy maelstrom that is social media.

If you’re afraid of a brand, you’re a sell-out

I still write, because that is what I do. I buy stuff, because that is where my interest lies, and because I can. I acknowledge that not everyone has that luxury. I splurged £100 on a bottle of serum. It was an act of insanity, but not everyone is that insane. But I am also open to receiving press material, because I can’t buy everything out there (even if it does seem like I do LOL! 😀 )

If you’re a blogger or have a sizeable following on Instagram, just be honest. Don’t be afraid to call out the bad, even as you praise the good. If a brand is so petty as to refuse to work with you thereafter, leave them. They aren’t worth working with. If you’re afraid of a brand, you’re a sell-out. If you’re so interested in a product, buy it. There’s no two ways about it.

If you’re a reader or follower, and only want to follow someone who buys their own stuff, know then you will have very little content. Yet, just because they buy their own products doesn’t make them an expert. Just because they can buy everything and feature tons of things doesn’t make them an expert. The experts are those who are trained in the study of the skin and dermatology. Everyone else is really just an enthusiast, and that includes you and I.

Support the bloggers you enjoy reading

This post is not about me feeling sorry for myself, nor about my being embarrassed to be called a “blogger”. I’ve made my peace, and I’m now just doing my own thing, bumbling along this trail, unsure of where it takes me. It’s just me being kind of pissed off that people are feeling so entitled about themselves, on both sides of the fence, and that I am being made to feel embarrassed that I’m a “beauty blogger”, implying that I must therefore be vapid, superficial, a sell-out and greedy.

So, unfollow if an account bugs you. Don’t read, if you don’t like the content. The industry is not going to change, but do support the people who you know are honest and open to sharing information. Share their content and engage with them. Leave a comment on their blog. Show them you care about what they do. By doing so, you help build a better beauty community for everyone, and perhaps you may even help turn the tide 🙂

Feel free to share your thoughts, whichever side of the fence you’re approaching from 🙂

Paris B

* You won’t believe how long have I waited to use that phrase! 😀 It either makes me Obi-Wan Kenobi or Emperor Palpatine. Confused, I am. Embarrassed, I am not. 😀

YOU MAY FIND THESE THESE POSTS HELPFUL TOO!

About Paris B

Paris B is a 40-something beauty and skincare enthusiast with a practical and very critical view of beauty products and the world of beauty. Her mission on My Women Stuff is to deliver clear, honest reviews and facilitate discussions about beauty trends and life, tempered with a healthy dose of humour. Let the buyer's remorse be ours not yours! When not testing the newest skincare creams and lotions, or playing with makeup, find her testing her culinary skills in the kitchen at Chez PB. Read more about us here or leave a comment below or connect with us on social media at Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!

YESSSSSSSSSSS. Being a beauty blogger totally has that “oh you just want free stuff” vibe right now. That doesn’t help when there are “bloggers” out there posting about how they followed up with a brand 30 times to get stuff. Whenever I’m at events, I feel like the term blogger is actually worse than a Youtuber or Instagrammer, because blogger means you’re old and no one wants to read that sh*t from about products that were released few months ago. Oh also, the issue with spending months to test something is that brands move so fast now, and the chances of people giving a negative review increases with every day a review isn’t posted. Whereas first impressions oftentimes don’t really allow for negative reviews . Even if they don’t like the product, the ones I’ve watched basically just say oh yeah well it kinda is annoying right now to use but I’ll try it out for a few more days to see how it goes, you should still try it! And then there’s no actual follow up on how it went. I can go on and on about it, and I’m sorry if this isn’t even coherent. I’m sure you know how I feel about this based on our Twitter conversations lol.

“Blogger” just seems like a dirty word right now, or just another word for “freeloader”. Makes me sad. I haven’t actually come across those who chase after freebies. Perhaps I’m not following the right people haha! But I have been told in private locally about those who send in product lists of things they want to “try for review”. Sadly, there is less desire for authenticity and more for shouting about newness. I don’t consider a “first impression” useful, and I am myself very wary about offering first impressions of anything except makeup. Too often I’ve experienced a breakout a couple of weeks in, despite a positive first impression. For me, what brands should do is go back to the way it was – seed out products 3-4 weeks before launch, then you have a more authentic feedback come launch day (logically). But 3-4 weeks is akin to 3-4 YEARS in Instagram eh?

Hey Paris, I definitely think Instagram is where the audience is nowadays. And pretty young girls are cashing in 🙂 Also, so many bloggers I follow quit in the past few years that it does make me think the blogging scene is slowly phasing out. Personally, I’m still unsure where I’ll be after my web hosting expires this October. Since I started close to 7 years ago (how fast time flies!) I’ve never really put myself out there, so I don’t experience or feel any of the things you’ve shared here, or in the past. If a brand decides to send me stuff, cool. If not, so be it. I still buy my own things. If there are more readers, awesome. If not, I know there are the few who have been with me since I started, so I blog for them, and for myself. Totally irrelevant to what you’re saying, but it’s also to prove that there are people who blog NOT for press samples.
So just wear your blogger badge proudly, Paris. You’ve been in the scene for so long, one of the pioneers and one of the more respectable ones. Let the young ones do their thing, as I believe it’s a phase that will pass. Let the readers say what they want because I think in general, the society is just getting more conceited and negative. And also, there are always keyboard warriors.
If it matters at all, I will always remain a supportive reader of MWS. I believe genuine readers know who to support.

I completely agree with Lily in that a) wear your blogger badge proudly and b) let the young pretty ones do their thing and lets see if they can do it for 10 years ?. As long as you keep on writing, I will keep on reading. I will pick you anytime over some young pretty *cough* generic *influencer*cough cough *cant tell them apart* thing.

Hey Lily, hope the CNY holidays have been good for you (unless of course it drove you mad as it does many of us then oops! LOL 😀 ) But yes, Instagram is definitely where the eyeballs are, and where everyone wants to be. It’s tiring coz I find it moves so quickly. Maybe I’m just old. Can’t hobble fast enough to keep up with the young chickos LOL 😀 I think we should all do what we want, as comfortably as we want. If it means slowing down (and I have noticed a slowdown in general in blogging) then I guess that’s how it will be. We know who supports us, and who will read, and I blog for myself and them. I still find it challenging to do certain things, so I’m challenging myself everyday to try something new or learn something new. I hope you’ll hang around, but if you choose not to, it’s perfectly understandable. So many have fallen by the wayside already!

All I’m going to say that being in the legal profession means that I empathise with quite a bit of what you wrote up there. *nods* Imagine being thrown brickbats before you even start out. Any bit if idealism I might have had was wiped out in an instant. It was savage enough to make me think that going into the profession might be the biggest mistake of my life -especially when many of the criticisms were not exactly without basis.

But I told myself that I’ll be the exception to the general rule. I’ll be the few good apples among the bad. And I’ll stay the course. So that’s what I did and I’m still here. It’s tough going against the flow especially when the currents grow stronger and stronger. And it sometimes feel like it’s not “worth it” because you don’t reach the pinnacle where the seemingly successful ones preen and pose (in your case, that is literal!). So damned demoralising! But when you realise just how much these people sacrifice in terms of morals and ethics to get there, you’ll know that you are not doing bad at all.

Ultimately, my strategy has been to keep my focus and stay the course. And it has worked out pretty alright for me.

I also meant to but forgot to state that people try to embarrass me for what I do as well. And I’ve also been told directly that I’m hated for what I do. That used to but no longer gets to me. Like you said, if you feel that way, then it’s on you. I know the course I’m on and it takes a LOT more than that to dislodge me. And I never bother trying to defend or explain myself to such people because it is pointless and a waste of my energy.

Haha! Yes, I do get the “Wah lawyer!” too but I’d say it’s balanced out by “I hate lawyers!” I was talking to a specialist at a dental clinic recently and that is exactly what he spontaneously said to my face when he found out my profession. You’d imagine that another professional might be more understanding? No, it seems not. I get that those in the medical profession are terrified of negligence suits but come on la…

Goodness me, how bloody rude of him! I would personally have walked out and told him I hated dentists too 😛 Besides, if they are afraid of negligence suits, then don’t be negligent lor. Lawyers don’t make it a habit to sue people, they are actually engaged by others to!

Goodness, do people give lawyers flack?! Idiots. I hope they never need to engage one. Good on you for not giving up thanks to the detractors. Like you, I am holding on to my beliefs, even if they may seem antiquated in this fast moving age of technology. As you say, I know what I have sacrificed and what I will have to sacrifice in order to be in the spotlight, and if I’m reluctant to give those up, then I know the spotlight isn’t for me. Thanks for sharing Isabel! 🙂

I started making youtube videos reviewing beauty products a couple of years ago, partly because 1) I don’t really see youtubers like me with my skin colour or who looks like me generally, 2) I really needed a creative outlet and I like makeup, and 3) increasingly I found that ‘reviews’ online are just product placement. Even the ones which runs a platform on ‘honesty’ are not anymore, and it’s really blatant how it’s all about disguised marketing. I now watch them just to have something run in the background. There are very few blogs and channels that I watch for the actual content/reviews.

You know Shamim, I think it’s so important to have different representations of colour online. It is, I feel saturated with very fair skin types (especially for makeup reviews) which is a category that I unfortunately fall into, that what you do is even more important! Keep it up! 😀

Well said! I appreciate your honesty and candidness on any topic that you write about, and I’m glad you’ve chosen to address this particular topic. I think the discerning reader will be able to tell a good blog from a bad one, and despite my skepticism towards a number of blogs out there, I’ve always valued your thoughts, and I continue to read your blog. I mean, I’m actually considering getting that 100 quid serum ok! Hehe.

Thank you Meena. I actually see this happening not only in the beauty scene, but in many niches. Even the food ones! Which incidentally was where I first found your blog and was following for ages. Those were the days eh? 😀 Some day I’ll have to sit down to a sourdough sandwich with you! 😉 p/s that serum is so worth it. and if you’re considering, like seriously, then try code YOU15 for a one time 15% discount here. Coupled with the free ship and the VAT deduction, it’s quite a saving (although there’s a chance there’ll be customs fees payable once it arrives)

Well it’s nice seeing pretty pictures on Instagram and looking at immaculate person on YouTube talking about whatever products because face it, we human like pretty things. And this was me when I just discovered YT some 10 years ago. But as I grew older, I don’t have the time like I used to and now I’m only watching YT for the content that I choose. I unsubscribe to almost half of what I’ve followed. It’s good to watch people who knows what they are talking about whether they be an expert or just an enthusiast and whether they’ve been given the products for free or they bought themselves. At the end, content matters.
But I still enjoy reading reviews on skincare. To me, reviews on skincare must be written down. Of course I do watch skincare reviews on YT but I don’t want to take down any notes! That’s why I prefer a blog when it comes to skincare reviews so I could always go back and refer.

I’m the same when it comes to the written word. I think I absorb information better when it’s written down, as opposed to when someone is talking at me. Doesn’t help that I often find YT irritating LOL! I think it’s helpful to watch a video on how to apply a product. But I think also i Have patience for just short videos. I prefer to skim for my information and you can’t skim videos!

I like this phrase “…press releases blatantly copied…”
Haha… Got one self-proclaimed Malaysian blogger out there who does this.
And she is still doing it. She can’t be bothered with making her font uniform too! just copy and paste from the website/product info.
Now, she even screenshot her instagram grandmother grandfather story into her blog, too lazy to write, and yet still calls herself a “blogger”. Haha!

I only follow a handful of bloggers and Instagrammer because of their honest reviews, it saved me so much money from buying a dud. As for the rest, I skim at the surface so to be aware of the new products launched but I won’t spend my time reading their blog. They are going to rave anyway, no matter how lousy it is. But I always wonder how these people survive otherwise, perhaps they were born with a silver spoon in their mouth?

Actually you are right Margaret. From the people I’ve met, who do this influencer thing full time, they often do start out with a good platform family-wise. So that’s one thing in their favour already. Then, some of them hustle quite aggressively. But as with everything in the visual world, a pretty face will open many doors. So, it’s a package deal 🙂

No two bloggers are alike… I turn to your blog for thorough and honest information, always well written. I never thought for a second that you’re in it for the freebies, or that you or the reviews are misleading. Keep up the good work.
PS: The older I get, the less I care about what others think. Except for a few Close friends who know me well.

That’s very true about people being different and approaching things differently, Maja. Thank you for believing in what I do. And you are right about getting older. It’s easier to brush off detractors, the older you get. I think it’s something that only comes with age 🙂

Hi ZF, Thank you for the support! I will continue to write as long as I am interested, and I know that people are interested. Sometimes though, I have to say that it can feel a little demoralizing when there isn’t any feedback. But I’ve learnt to come to terms with it. Just because people aren’t talking to you doesn’t mean they aren’t reading! 🙂 I hope the stuff I recommend have worked for you one way or another!

When I started getting into skin care about 8 years ago, I followed tons and tons of beauty bloggers, eager for more information. Now, this blog is one of the few that I keep coming back to. Some blogs nowadays just churn out press releases, without any thought about the actual product. After a while it’s easy to weed out the bad ones, and that’s when the real beauty bloggers shine! Nothing beats honest and quality content. Pretty instagram pictures are a dime a dozen, but there’s only one Paris B!

Paris B, please do not feel embarrassed to be known as a beauty blogger! I know you’ve probably heard this a million times already but your blog is worlds apart from any other online resource on beauty and you’ve made your mark as a respectable and candid blogger in the community-way to go! And although “influencer” may sound trendier but I totally agree with your sheep analogy! I look for information to learn and not to be influenced, I would feel so offended if others thoight otherwise!

Personally I still turn to blogs for more in-depth reviews as I am someone who takes information in visually-I really can’t stand people on Youtube rambling off when I want clear info/filler music (I love music but I believe there’s a time for everything and it can get very distracting). I’m not a huge fan of Instagram for beauty info as well-photos can look pleasing due to technique/composition/postprocessing and is not necessarily a reflection of what a product actually represents/does.

I believe blogging is becoming less popular as it does require skill and good writing-but these are what makes a review more substantial.

Hi Houdini, thank you for the vote of confidence! Like you, I can’t stand the ramblings on YT or videos either. I often switch off. I wonder how I ever survived lectures LOL! But the written word definitely grabs my attention better. I think there’s a place for Instagram – pretty pictures are a treat to the eye – but it’s when the pretty pictures serve to persuade people to buy something is when I am turned off. You are actually right about blogging becoming less popular, partly due to the writing element, but also because it take longer. Far quicker to post a picture on IG and be done with it. Kind of sad that we’ve come down to this really LOL 😀 But thank you so much! I hope you’ve been keeping well and busy! 😉

I just did my daily reading of your blog, only to see this post and experience a momentary panic that this meant you would not write anymore. Thankfully, it is not the case, but from what little I can see of your world from my other side of the computer, I can understand your frustration. And you are a 100 percent right to feel that way.

I’ve been lurking around here for close to a year, when frustration with my makeup refusing to stay put on my 40-something skin and the hot&humid Caribbean weather from hell drove me to research online, and led me to buy online my first Guerlain product (Lingerie de Peau foundation in 02W), and then, researching the famed Meteorites, I stumbled upon your well-written and useful Guide, which led to me hunting down high and low and eventually acquiring the Rainbow Pearls, my first “ballz”. My Guerlain obsession has just spiraled from there, but that’s another topic entirely… Champagne tastes on a beer budget means I am very selective with what I buy. ?

Why am I boring you with this lengthy ramble?

After reading like crazy for about a month during last summer, getting tired of reading reviews that were thinly disguised press releases with lots of fancy, too perfect pictures, looking for actual facts and opinions from real people that I could, as much as that is actually possible in a virtual environment, sort of “relate” to in terms of opinions and what to look for, I found myself looking for your blog much more than others. There were already 2 that I followed, but they were based in Britain and one is more skincare based, so they were very helpful but up to a point, so MWS joined the trinity of blogs that I read daily. A 4th was added later, but still, that makes it only 4 blogs that I consistently follow – and what do they all have in common?

HONEST OPINIONS.

I do not want to see lots of perfect pictures of unused products covering my whole phone screen. Just 1-2 to verify that the product is the one I’m looking for, or that the packaging is the correct one. I want to READ about your experience, read what you THINK about it, good and bad, and if what you say matches up with what I’m looking for, I might decide to get it or not. If what you write makes me realize I’m better off not even trying, or to look for something else, that’s what I want to take away from reading these posts. Useful information from a real person, not a carefully edited marketing message.

As for the buying vs getting it free? I can care less about how you get it if the review is honest, which is why I keep coming back here. I can’t ask anyone to spend all their money on skincare and makeup, share their reviews without charging me a dime, and then complain if they get something for free. It’s not even fair.

Heck, I guess that what I really want to say is that I truly, really appreciate you taking the time and effort to write about things you are passionate about, because I am passionate about them too, and since one doesn’t always have people close that share these specific interests, that’s what the internet is for. I enjoy your reviews, your writing style, and the humour that is palpable in your opinions. You are honest, and that shows throughout your posts. You are doing an excellent job, and I’m sure all your readers appreciate it. This site is a rare gem among all the millennial-pink coloured sameness.

– Nory

P.S. – Hopefully nothing is lost (or added) in translation, as English is my second language. As to why a Latina from the Caribbean reads a Malaysian-based blog? I give you 3 reasons: Hot Sun all the time, Humid Weather, and Pale Skin with Yellow Undertones that for some reason, my best color matches are released in Asia, not America…

Hi Nory, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! Never in my wildest dreams would I ever have thought that my experience with products could help someone in the Caribbean but there you go – our shared interest in beauty (and our similar weather) certainly brings us all closer! 😀 Thank you too for understanding that the purpose of blogging, or sharing of opinions, is to help people find out if a product might be helpful for them or not. It isn’t just intended to drive sales, although of course the brands do hope it will. Often I find that I read reviews to find out if they might indicate if a product will work on drier skin types, which is what I have. But what saddens me is that not many people will take the trouble to just point out these little details. All that said, thank you so much for believing enough in my blog that you find it helpful, and for appreciating my little bits of humour! I’m always pleased when people tell me they spot it, because goodness knows, sometimes, I feel like I’m talking (and laughing) to myself 😀

Hi Paris, I’ve been following you for around 5 years now and your blog is one of my most trusted source of skincare information/ reviews. In fact, I started my own beauty blog sometime in April last year because I was influenced by you and also wanted to share my own opinions on the myriad of skincare products that I was using. When I read some other beauty blogs, I was always left wanting on the bloggers’ actual opinion on how the product worked for them specifically and not how it should work generally.. Like.. tell me how does it feel on your skin, does it absorb well into your skin, what’s your particular skin type, what kind of results do you see after testing it for at least a month, will it work well with skincare layering, does it have a weird smell, is there any special attribute do you notice about this particular product, what’s the price of the product, how big is the size of the product.. None of those information seem to exist on those blogs except for yours.. Therefore, please continue blogging and keep your head up high.. You are doing a great job here!

Hi SuHlaing, thank you for sharing your thoughts, and I’m glad I influenced you to start your very own blog! I’m always happy to welcome someone into the wonderful world of blogging 😀 I hope you never stop sharing your thoughts and opinions on what you have tried, because it will always help someone out there, even if they may not always tell you so. Thank you for supporting my blog through the years! 😀

Hi Paris,
I started following your blog back in 2009, when I first learnt about makeup, reading about all the drugstore gems you revealed in your blog, moving on to higher end brand for years, and just recently digging your blog once again for skincare posts. Why your blog 3 times page by page? Because I like the honesty in your opinion, you are not afraid to go against the current (not liking cult products) or to state what is not great about products even if it’s from great brands. That gives the whole spice to your writings and makes your readers do their own judgment and calculation instead of ‘Buy! Buy! Buy!’. I agree that nowadays Instagram is where the world is looking at, even for me, but what I do is more like scanning (for skincare) and then turn to your (and Caroline Hiron’s) blogs for reviews. Makeup-wise, like you mentioned, is easier to review and all I need is just to see the shades on different skintones and make sure everybody agrees on the formulation. Anyway, what I’m trying to say here, please continue writing awesome reviews for us. Nevermind the number of followers, as long as you know that the ones folowing you appreciate your existance so much!

Hello Amy, goodness, has it been that long?! Thinking back, you know what? I did do quite a few features on pharmacy brands didn’t I? I guess I’ve sort of left that behind, even if I do occasionally pop by pharmacies to see what is new or potentially interesting. Thank you for appreciating how I do things, and I am always insisting that people decide for themselves if a product suits them. This is more so with skincare which can be so difficult. Makeup is always easier to tell if it might work or if it won’t, and I often find that with makeup, because of my fairer skin tone, it’s always hard for others to judge how it might look on them. Thank you for your vote of confidence (I always get a little thrill being mentioned in the same breath as Caroline Hirons, because she knows so much more than I do about skincare! haha!) and for the support. It means a lot to me, and is really one of the reasons I will keep blogging. Because I know someone out there will find it helpful 🙂

I still go to blogs for reviews. Blogs, I find, are more in-depth, quicker. Insta is limited, YT takes a longer time to rec n load. So my main go-tos are blogs. I have stopped believing from a long time ago reviews from influencers because they only serve the brand, not the audience. One of ex-colleagues from radioland, was given a product to improve skin texture n glow etc. She didn’t even use it, and the brand was pushing her for a review within that week. So she said it was good, gave her the glow bla bla bla, WITHOUT trying it. And that’s when I said “Nope!” All these pix in insta, they’re only pictures. Behind the scenes tell a completely different story. All the expensive clothes, n the jet setting lifestyle, and mingling w/ international celebs, they’re all just pictures. Many of them live a life nothing close. Misrable, empty, sad. I can name u names, n u’ll prolly knw them, but naaah! Which is why I’m just clippin’ away! You just do you, Paris, the force is with you x

Thanks for the insight Ika. I suppose if anyone knows what it’s like having that supposedly glamour life, it would be you, having seen it from the other side of the fence! I have heard of numerous instances of pushy brands, and I had one recently ask if I could give them a “soundbite” after 5 days. I told them, 5 days is nothing. You can’t see a damn thing! So naturally, I said no. haha! But there you go. These are the sorts of influences that the brands want, and that’s what they get. It’s a pity. If everyone grew a backbone, the industry would be in a better place.

Nowadays, it’s product placement & fast paced, especially in Instagram. Who knew ghost writing in that platform is now a thing, for all I know, it’s just with books like the “Zoella” incident. Gone are the days where proper review is actually done. This isn’t just happening in the beauty industry, I’m also seeing it the tech industry as well & the pattern is the same; a large chunk of the press release is placed somewhere on the blog post then rave it like there’s no tomorrow. I know blogging isn’t dead because the famous ‘influencers’ have suddenly set up their own websites, a trend that I saw in the middle of last year. Because of this frustration, the pain of sifting thru multiple blogs, forums & websites, seeing PR releases copied blatantly, I ended up having my own blog where I could form my own opinion whether it’s good or bad; because not every product that gets released is always a ‘wow product’. I do believe this will just be another phase that will pass. Let us wear our blogger badges proud!

Hi Bee, good luck with your new blog! As I told another commentator earlier, I’m always happy to welcome someone new to the blogging world, who is willing to share their own thoughts on things, and not just be the mouthpiece for brands. Goodness knows, there are enough of those already! And yes, ghostwriting Instagram captions do exist! I was horrified when I found out. But maybe I’m just naive 😛 I actually noticed some popular instagrammers setting up websites, but not quite maintaining them. I think it’s just so they have a space online, because they’ve realised that Instagram isn’t exactly searchable nor visible online, and also because Instagram ultimately, doesn’t not belong to us! One day, if the platform shuts down (quite unlikely I think but who knows – look at Myspace) then there goes their popularity!